Knitting machine



1 2 Oct 9 7 E. OESTERREICH KNITTING MACHINE Filed Supt. 1923 4 Sheets-Sheet l wms 1927 E. OESTERREICH KNITTING MACHINE Filed Sept. 1925 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVEAII TOR. Edward fllerrewh 0% My 1927 E. OESTERREICH KNITTING MACHINE 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Sept. 1923 mll Patented Oct. 11, 1927.

UNITED EDWARD OESTERREICH, 01F PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

KNITTING maonmn.

Application filed September 21, 1923. Serial No. 664,056.

The present invention relates more particularly to apparatus for knitting full fashioned hosiery and the like, and is peculiarly, though not exclusively, useful in the roduction of stockings having portions of light material, such as silk and other portions'of heavier wear-resisting material as cotton.

One of the objects is to provide mechanism of a simple character, by which the light and heavy threads can be laid in the needles to pro uce effective reenforcements between the light and heavy portions and also artistic designs; of a novel character. A. further and important object is to provide mechanism that will withstand the necessary shocks and jars without distortion that would afiect a fault or error in the designproduced. A still further object is to provide mechanism that can be easily altered so that the design may be varied as desired.

In the accompanying drawings Fi ure 1 is a plan view of a portion of a well-known type of knitting machine, somewhat diagrammatic in its character and provided with the novel construction.

Figure 2 is a cross sectional view taken substantially on the line 22 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a detail'front elevation of the control mechanism.

Figure 4 is a detail perspective view of the operating pawl for said control mechanism. Figure 5 is a plan view on an enlarged scale of the abutment members and their operating pawls.

Figure 6 is a detail longitudinal sectional view thereof.

Figure 7 is a perspective view of one of the abutment carriers and the abutments thereon Figure 8 is a plan view of a completed stocking toe blank.

Figure 9 is a plan view of a modified form of construction, showing the production of a spliced design in the legs of stockm s.

Tigure 10 is a longitudinal sectional View through the abutment structure shown in V Figure 9.

Figure 11 is an end elevation of one of the abutment members and the abutments thereon, illustrated in Figure 10.

Portions of the frame of a well-known type of knitting machine are shown in Figure 2, and are designated 12. The machine includes the usual banks of needles, as indicated at 13. Over said banks are the usual longitudinally reciprocatory carrier rods. For the purpose of explaining this embodiment of the invention certain of these rods are designated respectively 14, 15, 16 and 17. The rods are moved back and forth b a longitudinally reciprocatory friction sha t 18 carrying friction boxes 19 having arms 20 that are engaged with the rods 1417, to move the same.

The carrier rod a plurality of thread carriers 21. The carrier rod 15 is provided with thread carriers 22. The carrier rod 16 is provided with thread carriers 23 and the carrier rod 17 is provided with thread carriers 24.

Inasmuch as the disclosed arrangement is set up for the purpose of knitting stocking feet having cotton soles and silk upper portions, with a cotton toe cap, the thread carriers 21 and 22 are adapted to lay cotton threads 25 in the needles 13, the thread carriers 23 supply silk 26 to certain of the needles and the thread carriers 24 deliver a special heavier cotton thread 27 for the purpose of forming the toe cap. This set up moreover is particularly adapted to produce full fashioned stocking .feet of the type wherein the silk is extended well down into the toe, and the corners formed by the cotton toe cap and cotton foot are ree iforced by stepped splices ofcotton and s1 K.

Referring therefore to Figure 8, showing the blank of such a foot structure, a silk top portion 28 is provided with marginal sole sections 29 and 30 of cotton on opposite into. In other words the silk and cotton threads are overlapped or spliced at their juncture as shown at 31. As the toe is appreached, the widths of the sole portions 29 and 30 are increased inwardly, and the width of the top portion 28 is correspondingly decreased. This is done by a series of successive steps 32 and 33, and during the formation of said steps the outer seams 34 and 35 only of the narrowing fingers 36 and 37 are formed. When the silk top portion 28 is terminated the toe cap 38 is started and the inner seams 39 and 40 of the narrowing fingers 36 and 37 are made. In the produc- 14 has mounted thereon.

SldeS of the top portion 28 and knitted theretion of the steps '32 and 33 the cotton and silk extend across each, successive set of steps, so that said steps are reenforced or in other word are formed by spliced or over lying cotton and silk threads. For the protion 62, and

duction of these stocking feet the following mechanism is employed A relatively heavy and rigid supporting arm 41 overlies the carrier rods 14-17, and extending therethrough is an axle 42 that projects beyond the opposite sides of the arm 41 and has journaled thereon abutment carriers in the form of disks 43. The disks are provided with an outer circular series of threaded openings 44 and an inner circular series of threaded openings 45. In the outer series is screwed a series of abutment pins 46 successively shorter in length and forming a ste ped set of abuti'nents. These pins prefbly have reduced stems 47 that are screwed into the openings 44 and have shoulders 48 that bear against the outer faces of the disks. In the inner series of openings are screwed a set of stepped abutments 49 corresponding to the outer series but arranged in reversed relation. In other words the longest pin 46 of the outer series is adjacent to theshortest pin 49 of the inner series.

The carrier rods 14 and 15, which operate the cotton thread carriers 21 and 22, have secured thereto brackets 50, in which are adjustably mounted stop pins 51, and the abutment pins 49 are so disposed that on the rotation of the disks 43 they will be brought into the .paths of the stop pins 51 and thus determine the amount of movement allowed to the carrier rods 14 and 15, and consequently to the cottoncarriers 21 and 22. Mounted on the silk carrier rod 16 are brackets 52 carrying adjustable stop pins 53. The inner set of stepped abutment ins 49 are adapted to correspondingly move into the path of the stop plus 46 and thus' determine the traverse of the silk thread carriers 23.

The abutment carrier disks 43 are provided with peripheral ratchet teeth 54 operated on by pawls 55. These pawls 55 are actuated b duplicate mechanisms, and a disclosure an description of one of said mechanisms it is believed will be sufiicient for both. The pawl 55 is mounted on the upstanding arm of .a bell crank 56, the other arm of which is connected by a link 57 with a lever 58 that is fulcrumed between its ends on a bracket59, mounted on the machine frame. A constantly rotating cam shaft 60 is provided with a cam 61 having a depressed portion 62, and a roller 63 journaled on the lever 58 rides on the periphery of the cam and is adapted to drop into the depressed portion 62. A spring 63 insures the swinging movement of the lever 58 when said roller is passed by the depressed poras a consequence it will be evident that the abutment disk will be intermittently actuated.

The movement of the lever 58 is, however, controlled by a holding dog in the form of an' arm 64 that is adapted to swing to a position under the free end of said arm 58 and support it so that it will not move when the depressed portion 62 of the cam 61 passes under the roller 63. This arm 64 as illustrated more particularly in Figures 2 and. 3, is fulcrumed on the frame at 65, and has a right angular weighted arm 66 fixed thereto. The arm 66 has 2. depending finger 67 adapted to ride on an endless belt member 68, and this belt member is provided at intervals with buttons or projections 69 to pass under the finger 67, thereby raising the same, and causing the arm 64 to swing from beneath the lever 58.

The belt 68 passes around a ulley or roller 7 0 having ratchet teeth 71. (gperating on said ratchet teeth is a pawl 72 carried on a swinging arm 73. The free end of this arm is supported on an adjustingscrew 74 carried by a lever 75 as shown in Figures 2, 3 and 4. The lever 75 is fulcrumed between its ends, as shown at 76, and is provided at its upper end with a roller 77 that rides on the periphery of the cam wheel 61. This cam wheel is provided with a cam plate 78 adapted to ride against the roller 77, and thereby swing the lever 75. When it swings the arm 73 will be'elevated and the pawl 72 engaging behind one of the ratchet teeth 71, will move the roller and thereby the belt 68. The pawl 72 is furthermore pro-- vided with an offset finger 79 that normally rides on the belt 68 and said belt is provided at intervals with buttons or projections 80 which pass beneath the finger 79, thereby raising the pawl 72 out of coaction with the ratchet teeth and stopping the movement of the belt.

For the purpose of effecting a further movement of the beltto cause the buttons or rojec'tions 80 to pass the fingers 79 a hand ever 81 is fulcrumed on the frame, and is provided with a hook 82 that engages the ratchet teeth 71. By the operation of this lever the roller 7 O can be moved far enough to disengage the button 80 from beneath the finger 79, thereby allowing thepawl 72 to again engage with the ratchet-teeth 71.

The operation of the apparatus may be outlined as follows. Assuming the stocking foot, as illustrated in Figure 8, is to be knitted, the machine is set to knit the main body with the silk top portion 28 and cotton foot margins 29 and 30 in the usual manner, during which operation the rotary abutment.

carriers and their abutments are inactive, a button or projection 80 on the belt 68 being beneath the finger 79 and holding the pawl- 7 2 out of engagement with the ratchet teeth 71, while the holding arm 64 is beneath the lever 58. When the point is reached where the steps 32 and 33 are begun, the operator swings the lever 81, thereby moving the roller 70 and the belt 68 a suflicient distance ion menace to permit the pawl 72 to drop into enga ementwith the ratchet wheel 71, and at t c same time a projection 69 moves to a position beneath the finger 67 of the arm 66 thereby swin ing the holding arm 64 out 0% the path of t is lever 58. As the cam 61 1'0- tates and the depressed portion 62 passes beneath the roller 63, the lever 58 will be swung and through the link 57 and bell crank 56 the pawl 55 will be moved to turnthe abutment disk. As both pawls 55 operate in unison both disks 43 will be actuated. As

a consequence the cotton carriers 21 and 22.

will 'be' allowed movements equal to the widths of the sole portions 29 and 30, plus the first of the ste s 32 and 33, while the silk carrier 23 will have a traverse from the outer edge of the first step on one side to the outer edge of the first step on the opposite side. The button 69 will by this t me have passed beyond the finger 67, allowmg the stop arm 64 to again swing beneath the lever 58, thereby stopping the rotation 01:: the abutment carriers so that a predetermined number of courses will be formed, producing the first of the steps 32 and 33. The lever 7 5 is, however, continuously operating, thereby moving the belt 68 step by step, which will bring another button or projection 69 beneath the finger 67 and cause the stop arm 64 to again move from beneath the lever 58. lVhen this takes place, said lever 58 will again operate, thereby turning the abutment disk another step and bringing another set of abutment pins into the paths of the stop pins 51 and 53. As a consequence a second set of steps will be produced, reducing the width of the silk top and increasing the widths of the sole portions. This is repeated until the toe cap is to be produced, whereupon the carrier rods 14, 15 and 16 are thrown out of operation and the carrier rod 17 is thrown into action by well known means, the carrier rod 17 being operated sufiiciently to cause the carrier 24 to traverse both the cotton sole portions and the intermediate silk top, at the same time producing the narrowing fingers and completing the toe cap.

By this apparatus a stocking foot can be produced in which the silk top 28 is extended well into the toe and materially beyond the ordinary toe cap. At the same time the side margins are reenforced by spliced or doubled threads of cotton and silk and as these portions are subjected to the wear of the toe they are of wear-resisting material. The stocking is peculiarly desirable for wear with low slippers or dancing pumps, inasmuch as the cotton portions are not exposed.

That the apparatus is adapted for other uses of a generally analogous character, will be obvious by reference to Figure 9, which illustrates an arrangement of parts for producing a spliced ornamentation on the front of a stocking leg. In this structure a series or set of reel rocating carrier rods are disclosed, two 0 which are designated respec-' tively 83 and 84. Therods are operated from a reciprocatory friction shaft 85 having friction boxes 86 and 87 with arms respectively designated 88 and 89 that actuate the rods 83 and 84. One of these rods, as 84, is provided with a plurality of thread carriers 90 that operate in the usual manner across the diiferent banks of needles to produce the silk stocking leg blanks 91. The other. rod 83 is provided with carriers 92 that are adapted to lay in splicing or overlying threads for the production of the ornamentations. Thus in Figure 9, this ornamentation consists of a succession of diamond figures 93 with stepped margins 94. The pattern is determined by stepped abutment pins 95 mounted on abutment carrier disks 96 and movable into the path of stops 97 mounted on the carrier rod 83. The means for operating these disks 96 is'the same as that above described, and it is believed needs no repetition. Obviously by the utilization of the successive abutment pins 95 the traverse of the carrier rod 83 and the carriers 92 is determined and said carriers increase their amount of movement successively until the maximum width of the design 93 is produced and the traverse is then successively decreased in steps to the minimum width.

It. will be obvious that. the apparatus may be modified in sundry ways to produce different designs on different portions of the knitted fabric or body. Inasmuch as the controlling or pattern determining means is directly associated with the carrier rods, great accuracy in the design is secured and this accuracy is further made more certain by the particular mounting of the abutment disks, these, as shown in Figure 6, bearing fiat against the opposite sides of the relatively heavy supporting arm n and the abutment pins having bearings both against the disk and preferably against the arm 41, also, so that there is no give when the pins are struck by the stop pins of the rods.

From the foregoing, it is thought that the construction, operation and many advantages of the herein described invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art, without further description, and it will be understood that various changes in the size, shape, proportion and minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

4 Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a knitting-machine, the combination with a reciprocatory carrier rod and a thread carrier moved thereby of a stop fixed to the carrier rod, an abutment carrier movable transversely of the stop, and a plurality of abutments mounted on the abutment carrier and comprising stems engaged in the abutment carrier and enlarged heads abutted against the abutment carrier and movable into the path of the stop.

2. In a knitting machine, the combination with a reciprocatory carrier rod and a thread carrier moved thereby, of a stop fixed to the carrier rod, a rigid support located at one side of the rod, and abutment carrier 7 movably mounted on the support against backed by said stop, and a plurality of abutments comprising stems engaged in the abutment carrier and heads that are against the outer face of the abutment carrier and movable upon the rotation of said carrier into the path of the stop.

4. In a knitting machine, the combination with a carrier rod and a thread carrier movable therewith, of a stop for the carrier rod, a plurality of abutments movable into and out of the path of the stop, means for moving the abutments, including a lever and a cam that engages the lever to operate. it, a holding dog movable into and out of engagement with the lever to hold said lever out of coacting relation to the cam, an endless belt having means that periodically operates the dog, ratchet mechanism for op erating the belt, including a lever actuated by the cam, and means on said belt for throwing the belt actuating mechanism out of action. v V 5. In a knitting machine, the combination with a plurality of reciprocatory carrier rods, and thread carriers moved thereby, of a rigid support located between the ends of the rods .and at one side of the same, spaced rotary heads having their inner sides abutting against opposite sides of the support, abutments projecting from the outer sides of the heads, and stops fixed to the rods on opposite sides of the support and heads, said abutments being movable into the path of the stops on the rotation of the heads.

6. In a knitting machine, the combination with a plurality of reciprocatory carrier rods and thread carriers moved thereby, of a rigid supporting arm overhanging intermediate portions of the rods, heads journaled on o posite sides of the arm and backed there y, abutments of different lengths projecting from the outer side faces of the heads, and stops fixed to the rods, said abutments being movable into and out of the paths of the stops on the rotation of the heads.

7. In a knitting machine, the'combination with a carrier rod and a thread carrier movable therewith, of a stop fixed to the carrier rod, a plurality of abutments movable into and out of the path of the stop at respectively different points, an actuating lever for the abutments, a cam that operates on the lever to move it, and a holding dog movable into engagement with the lever to hold it in inactive relation to the cam.

8. In a knitting machine, the combination with a carrier rod and a thread carrier movable therewith, of a stop fixed to the carrier rod, a plurality of abutments movable into and out of the path of the stop at respectively different points, an actuating lever for the abutments, a cam that operates on the lever to move it. a holding dog movable into engagement with the lever to hold it in inactive relation to the cam, and automatic means for intermittently actuating the dog.

9. In a knitting machine, the combination with a carrier rod and a thread carrier movable therewith, of a stop fixed to the carrier rod, a plurality of abutments movable into and out of the path of the stop at respectively different points, an actuating lever for the abutments, a cam that operates on the lever to move it, a holding dog movable into engagement with the lever to hold it in inactive relation to the cam, and an endless belt having projections that intermittently operate the dog.

10. In a knitting machine, the combination with a carrier rod and a thread carrier movable therewith, of a stop fixed to the carrier rod, a plurality ofabutments movable into and'out of the path of the stop at respectively different points, an actuating lever for the abutments, a cam that operates on the lever to move it, a holding dog movable into engagement with the lever to hold it in inactive relation to the cam, an endless belt having projections that intermittently operate the dog, a pawl and ratchet for operating the belt, and means for periodically throwing the pawlout of action.

11. In a knitting machine, the combination with a plurality of longitudinally reciprocatory carrier rods, of thread carriers operated by the rods, a rotatable abutment carrier having sets of abutments, said sets being located at difi'erent distances from its axis of rotation, means that respectively engage against the abutments for stopping the different carrier rods in different posi-- tions, and means for rotating the abutment carrier to successively present difierent abutments to the different stop means.

12. In a knitting machine the combination with a plurality of longitudinally reci rocatory carrier rods having stops, of t read carriers operated by the rods, a rotatable abutment carrier having sets of abutments located at different distances from its axis of rotation, said sto s extending longitudinally of the axis 0 the carrier and. being of different lengths, and means for rotating the abutment carrier to simultaneously place abutments of different lengths in the paths; of the stops of the difierent carrier rods.

13. In a knitting machine, the combination with a plurality of longitudinally reciprocatory carrier rods havlng stops and thread carriers, of a rotatable abutment carrier located transversely thereto, a plurality of sets of abutments projecting from a face of the carrier at diflferent distances from its axis of rotation and of difierent lengths, the abutments of one set being arranged in reverse order to the other set, and means for intermittently rotating the abutment carrier.

In testimony whereof, I aflix my signature.

EDWARD OESTERREICH. 

